Mimulus bifidus 'Esselen' (Santa Lucia Monkey Flower) - A small shrubby Monkeyflower to 2 feet tall and as wide with narrow glossy-green leaves and bright tangerine-orange colored flowers in spring and summer. The flowers are particularly large for a Monkeyflower and have distinctive notched petal lobes, which is indicated by the plants specific name 'bifidus'. Plant in part to full sun in a well-drained soil and give occasional irrigation – not as drought tolerant as some other Monkeyflowers that come from hotter, drier locales, but still tolerant of going fairly long between watering, especially in coastal gardens. Hardy to around 15-20° F. A light pruning after flowering helps tidy up and shape this plant. A great plant for dry shade and like other Monkeyflowers this plant is an excellent habitat and nectar plant that attracts bees and hummingbirds. Additionally the Checkerspot Butterfly will lay eggs on the foliage of this plant. Another common name for this plant is Prostrate Monkeyflower. This plant was selected from the Big Sur area in the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. The name Esselen comes from the name for the tribe of indigenous native people who inhabited the central Big Sur coast and extended over the Santa Lucia and Gabilan ranges to the edge of the Salinas Valley. The species Mimulus bifidus, including the subspecies fasciculatus, which this plant likely would have originally been described as is also called the Prostrate Monkey flower. This taxon is currently Mimulus aurantiacus var. grandiflorus in the newest treatment of the Jepson Manual and Jepson Flora project. We continue to use the name Mimulus bifidus until this change gets wider acceptance.
This description is based on our research and the observations we have made of this plant as it grows in containers at our nursery, in our own garden and in other gardens. We also appreciate receiving feedback of any kind from those who have additional information about this plant, particularly if they disagree with what we have written or if they have additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Mimulus bifidus 'Esselen'.